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While reading more deeply in the Bestiary, and building some creatures in my head, I came across something I thought was strange.
The Zombie template assigns a natural armor bonus based on the creature's size. Fair enough, for soft-skinned humanoids like the typical PC race. But what about those races that start with natural armor?
I find it hard to believe the intent is to have Large, or larger creatures, become less tough via zombification.
Eg Hill Giant goes from +9 to +3.
I admit, the CR calculation could be skewed, where the base creature already had high AC, but there will always be more viable base creatures, such as those that made one attack/round, vs those that had multiple attacks that they lose when staggered.
As is the case with any template, the CR has to be eyeballed.
This seems more of a gamist rule than one with verisimilitude.
Should the template read 'a zombie gains an increase in natural armor, as listed in the following table...'?
Though, I admit this may require a reduction in the table values, it would be worth it, if the bonus stacked with the existing base creature.
Is it really the intent that a human zombie, a zombie riding dog, or a troglodyte zombie have the same AC?
I admit, the CR calculation could be skewed, where the base creature already had high AC, but there will always be more viable base creatures, such as those that made one attack/round, vs those that had multiple attacks that they lose when staggered.
As is the case with any template, the CR has to be eyeballed.
This seems more of a gamist rule than one with verisimilitude.
That's probably a fair assessment.
If it helps, you could imagine that the zombie's skin has split open in several places, revealing the soft, gooey middle.
Ever take an axe to a healthy pine? Takes a few swings.
Ever take an axe to a rotted pine? You may well bring it down in a single swing.
Replace pine with a big living creature and a big dead zombie and I think you'll get my analogy.
Rotted things are always softer.
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Ever take an axe to a healthy pine? Takes a few swings.
Ever take an axe to a rotted pine? You may well bring it down in a single swing.
Replace pine with a big living creature and a big dead zombie and I think you'll get my analogy.
Rotted things are always softer.
That would be correct assuming that whatever is covering the zombie was or is a living material. There are creatures that literally coat themselves hard plates and bones that won't rot, or at least not with any kind of speed, IE the humble turtle. I have collections of hollow turtle shells that I collected from swamps and bayou's I hiked as a kid.
So, a giant zombie turtle's natural armor shouldn't drop at all IMO.
Ever take an axe to a healthy pine? Takes a few swings.
Ever take an axe to a rotted pine? You may well bring it down in a single swing.
Replace pine with a big living creature and a big dead zombie and I think you'll get my analogy.
Rotted things are always softer.
That would be correct assuming that whatever is covering the zombie was or is a living material. There are creatures that literally coat themselves hard plates and bones that won't rot, or at least not with any kind of speed, IE the humble turtle. I have collections of hollow turtle shells that I collected from swamps and bayou's I hiked as a kid.
So, a giant zombie turtle's natural armor shouldn't drop at all IMO.
The giant turtle zombie no longer has the instincts required to use its shell most effectively.
As a new player, I haven't dealt with any templates/bestiary stuff yet...
Is it possible that the AC is meant to be ADDED to the existing creature?
So a human gets a +3 bonus because whatever damage done to it.. isn't dangerous anymore... less 'vital' targets... The Hill Giant would be 9... +3 for being a zombie? going to 11?
As a new player, I haven't dealt with any templates/bestiary stuff yet...
Is it possible that the AC is meant to be ADDED to the existing creature?
Probably not. It says "Natural armor is based on the zombie's size", not "Natural armor is based on the zombie's size and original natural armor" (or something like that).
Besides, Snorter hit it right on the head -- it's a metagame thing to try to squeeze all zombies of a given number of HD into a particular CR.